[Places] Hvar by Valamar

"We stayed for 4 nights in September. Hotel is in a good location, easy walk into Stari Grad(which is beautiful, good selection of restaurants). Rooms very compact, & a tiny bathroom, but comfortable. We were in a Size M for 2 Seaside. Breakfast excellent. Dinner limited choices, & certainly not a la carte. On arrival Reception was very lacklustre, & certainly not welcoming! When we asked for more information about one of the bike rides, limited knowledge & no suggestion of who we could ask for more information. My main complaint/concern were the steps into the sea. One day we saw 7 people slip & have to save themselves by grabbing the rail. One chap was not so lucky & fell & split his head open front & back & had to go to hospital. The hotel charges extra for sun-beds on the beach so should ensure the steps are safe, or as a bare minimum put signs in place warning that steps are slippery."

"I’ve just returned from a truly wonderful stay at Places, Stari Grad, Hvar... We booked two 2+1 villas for a 3-night stay at the end of our multi-centre trip through Dalmatia, and it was the perfect finale. The villas exceeded our expectations — spacious, spotless, beautifully decorated, and thoughtfully set up to make us feel instantly at home. Everything felt fresh and well cared for, which added to the sense of relaxation. The added beach towel basket and yoga mats was a good touch. One of the highlights for us was the eco-conscious approach. The playful, tongue-in-cheek messages encouraging sustainability (like shorter showers and towel recycling) really made us smile while still getting the message across. It gave us the sense that we were part of a resort cares about its impact without being preachy — something we really value when travelling. Food was another standout. Breakfast was generous and varied, with more than enough to suit all tastes. The range was fantastic with fresh and cooked options, make your own smoothie from fresh fruit and the nice touch of the Prosecco. The complimentary lunch (and dinner) was such a thoughtful touch and very much appreciated. In the evenings, we enjoyed using our dinner credit on the a la carte menu — the food was consistently tasty and well presented and the flexible approach to the daily dinner credit is a great idea which works well in that the value can be used for drinks, or food. The facilities were excellent, with plenty of choice whether guests wanted to keep active, play, or simply relax. For us, the pool area became a favourite spot. It was clean, well-maintained, and never felt overcrowded. The gentle reminders about not reserving sunbeds were worded perfectly — clear but friendly. While we would have enjoyed a few more DJ sessions by the pool to enhance that fun holiday atmosphere, the vibe overall was exactly what we were looking for: relaxed, welcoming, and easy-going. What also elevated our stay, though, was the team. Every member of staff we met was warm, friendly, and attentive, creating an atmosphere that felt genuinely caring and personal. They are an absolute credit to the resort. It was lovely to see that same energy reflected in the overall vibe of the place — a mix of guests across different demographics, all enjoying themselves in their own way, yet the atmosphere remained harmonious and inclusive. Overall, we had a memorable and enjoyable time — it felt like excellent value for money, and as we left we were already talking going back."

"Just got back from a week in places Hvar. Overall it was really good. The hotel is clean and well located, breakfast was very good, running to 11am a bonus. Free soup and salad at lunch and dinner is a nice touch. Dinner was good quality but limited in variety and not cheap. That being said no food in Stari Grad is cheap, all the restaurants we went to were more expensive than the hotel and I wouldn't say they were great quality, although nice. Expect to pay 50 euros a head eating out with a bottle of wine. Stari Grad is only a 15 minute walk from the hotel and is very pretty, it's pricey probably due to the super yachts mooring there. The hotel complex is very nice with sun loungers nicely spread out and a 1 minute walk from the sea. The sea is crystal clear and lovely to swim in. We didn't use the pool as it seemed pointless when the sea is so nice. The hotel give you beach towels, and if you want replacements charge 2 euros per towel. The sun beds in the hotel ground are all free, only the ones right on the sea front are charged, and we didn't even bother as the hotel ones were nicer. If I went again I would organise my own transfer, and I would get the fast boat to Hvar town and taxi from there, rather than the slow boat to Stari Grad as we had to wait 4 hours for it and then it takes 2 hours. The 4 hours we had to wait we spent in Split Old Town which was a very nice place to be looking around, so it wasn't all bad by any means. Overall I really recommend this hotel and location, its really very good and much better than the 3 stars suggest."